Carrier transfer means



Sept. '12, 1933. .0; 5. JENNINGS ET AL 15,26,541

CARRIER TRANSFER MEANS Filed June 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 12, 1933. c. s. JENNINGS ET AL 1,926,541

CARRIER TRANSFER MEANS Filed June 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 12, 1933" 1,926,541 CA R RlER .rRAnsrEn M NS.

Chester S. Jennings and 1.2mm, GIAllen, Syracuse, N. Y,,zfassignors to The Lamson Company, Syracuse, Massachusetts N.. Y., a corporation. of

j A plication Jane-t, 1 b- 9 3 3 Claiin s.- iClrl N This invention relates to improvements,

conveyor systems, and more particularly tomeans arranged to expeditethe movement of an article,

such as a carrier -box,, from an elongate conveyor moving in one direction; onto another conveyor. In order to cause a, carrier box, or the like, moving upon one conveyor to pass, for example, onto a parallel conveyor moving in the opposite direction, we preferably providedefiector arms swing-able to a position where they extend across the path of articles upon the first conveyorto' turn the same through an arc of substantially 180 as they pass onto the other convey or. These deflector arms may be selectively 'operated in any suitable manner, for example automatically in response to the positioning of pins or contacts upon the carrier boxes themselves, which are adapted to operate suitable deflector control mechanism to cause the boxto be returned upon the conveyor moving in the opposite direction when it arrives at the desired defiector Such deflector control mechanism is shown for example in Patent No. 1,535,075 toT. S. Knap;

In order to permitthe turning of the box in a comparatively small space, we preferably provide pivot orbalancing rolls between'the two conveyors; these rolls preferably are positioned so that their planes of rotation may conform to the direction of movement of articles between'the conveyors. with more or less convex peripheral portions so that they provide a limited region of contact for engagement wth the bottom of the carrier box which swings upon the same, thus-in efiect comprisingmore or less spherical pivotal supports to permit the ready swinging of a carrier box which substantially rests upon these rolls as it passes from one conveyor to another. 1

Theimpact of the carrier boxes upon the bal-' ancing rolls as well-as the torsional strains set up by the swinging of the boxes upon-the rolls tend to cause the rolls to rotate as units out of the desired positions. .This movement impairs the operation of thesy'stem ancliimpedes thetravel of the boxes so that the balancing rolls must be reset from time to time W The objects of this inventionare" to provide balancing rolls having convex peripheral portions which act as substantially spherical supports, and

which guide the leading corners of the boxes onto the rolls avoiding any direct impact .of the box corners and consequent stoppage, of their travel, and also to'provide means by which the rolls as. a unit are locked in a definite position- ,and can not while in use twist to. change the Preferably these rolls are provided plane of rotation, such means being easily, ad'- J'ustableiandlocked in place.- i 3 The presentapplication is a continuation in ,part of, our copending application Serial No. 348,262,1filed March 19, .l9'29,'corresponding there: to withresp'ect'to. the formation of the balancing rolls and. being an .improvementthereon with respect to the looking means here shown. 7 vInthe .accompanyingdrawings Fig.1 is a diagrammatic plan View of two con-'' veyors' with means associatedtherewith to falcilitate'the movement of a, carrier from 'one.' 6011-- veyor'totheother; f

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionalviewbf the two conveyors at a point adjoining the'region of carrier-deflection; z I I Fig. 3 is anelevation view oi one form of bah an'cin'g or pivot roll which, preferably may be L1? Fig. 5 ,isabottom plan viewof, one form of a associated with the conveyors;

Fig. eis-a side elevation View of such arollf locking element that may bezemployed;

- Fig. 6is an'enlarged crossesectionaldetaili1 lustrating the type ,of locking prong' 'here 'mpl'o'yed; "I

Fig. '7 is an elevationyof another form of lbalancing or pivoting-roll that may housed; and

Fig. 8 is a plan viewof the base thereof taken along-the l'ii1e'8 '8 of Fig.7;

' Referring to the accompanying :first more particularly to Fig". ;1 thereof, it may be seen that the conveyor 1 (for'convenience termed the primary conveyor) is arranged to move in one .direction'and'thatthe conveyor 2 (hereinafter termed thefsecondaryfor receiving) v dis posed beside the samemay be'arranged to move drawings, and

inthe opposite direction. While we have illustrated herewith but'a} single deflector, a correz, sponding. independently controllable belt section 3',1and;. a. deflector 4'ass'ociated withconveyon .1,, it is to be "understood that ordinarily a plurality of'deilectors 4 may be provided at suitable inter-- vals so that carriers may. passalong the coni- V I 1veyor' 1 "fordifferntdistances, thereupon; enf gaging a selected deflector '4, and beingswung outwardly onto balancing rolls; 5, and thence ontothe receiving conveyor 2 which. may return? th'emto the point of origin. "While the deflectors imay be actuated inany suitable manner, pref,-

erablytheymay be operatedby suitable control means which is responsive to apredetermined osmsmngof actuating'pins or tabs upon" the is pro ermpositioned, it will cause the desired carrier .boxes. ,Thus,,when" the jpin upon a, box

' deflector =4 tobeactuated so thatit e tends su'b--.

stantially across the conveyor 1, engaging the front of the oncoming carrier, and turning the same substantially at an angle to its former po-' sition. In the meantime the bottom of the carrier is engaged with the surfaces of one or more balancing rolls :which, during. the mid-portion of the movementof the carrier from one conveyor to the other, substantially support the car- V rier so thatits ends merely lightly engage the oppositely moving conveyor belts, thus the turning of a carrierin a limited space is ,iacilitated... A- rail 95 extends along beside conveyor 2 opposite, [deflector 4 to prevent undesirable,lateraLmove- "ment of transferred carriers.

. One. advantageous form of balancing roll is.

illustrated more particularly inFigs. 3 and 4. This rollmay be supportedupon a bracket or channel 7 bridging the space between the side w hich an'axle 52 extends.

rails 10 and 11 of conveyors 1 and 2 respectively. Each rollerpreferably is provided with -a more or lessconvexly curved peripheral portion 6 for example, having its peripheral face oppositely beveled or curved as shown. The roller has a hub 'portion'12 rotatable upon anaxle 15 which is held against longitudinal movement in'relation to a U-shaped supporting bracket 20, by double ended retaining pins 18 engageable in diametrically opposed recesses" 19 at the axle ends. A bolt 23 extends through the opening 21 in bracket 20 and through one of a series of corresponding openings 27 in the channel '7, being retained in place by a nut 24.

, The rolls 5 must rotate in'the proper-planes relative to the conveyors, so that the carrier boxes are transferred from one conveyor tothe other without any undue strainor travel. In

our copending application reliance was placed upon tightening the nuts 24. Experience has demonstrated however that the rolls will work looseand swivelabout the bolts 23 due to the f'impacts of the boxes and thejtorsional, strains set up thereby. Accordingly a locking element 30 is provided foreach roll. Such element is preferably' U-shaped in cross-section (see Fig. 4) comprising a base 31 and uprights 32. The base 31'has a central opening 33 through which the bolt 23 is passed. Thebo1t123 is provided with a.

. ment against unwanted shifting.

The uprights 32fextend at either side ofthe bracket 20and hence'when'the locking element is clampedagainst the channel? the bracket, is

held against turning. Such uprights as shown in the drawings do not interierein anyway with therotati onof the roll '5 whichtakes place'freely. under the contact of the boxesjwith'the periphv6 I eral portion 6. f

The form of .balancing roll shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is particularly intended for use in trans ferring' heavy'boxes and other articles. Such roll, designated as' 50, includesi'a'hub 5l through The axle is carried upon 'the arms 53 of a u -shape'd bracket 54a'nd permits freerrotation of thl'roll 50. The base 550; the bracket is secured]to'.a channel 56'by 5 bolts5'7 two; of which are hereshown, The bolts pass through holes 58 the channel 56 and through arcuate slots 59 in the base 55. The holes, 58 are preferably arranged in pairs and only one hole of each pair is used so that as shown in Fig. 8 the bracket 54' may be swung around the bolts and. locked to the channel by tightening the nuts 60. By using the other holes the travel of the-bracket is increased 'so that the roll 50 maybe set to rotate in any desired plane. In this embodiment as well as in the embodiment previously described the peripheral face of the roll is, oppositely beveled or curved.

From the above description it is evident that we have provided means whereby the movement :or deflection of a carrier box from a conveyor moving in one direction to an adjoining conveyor moving in an opposite direction, such meansinclu'ding a balancing roll, the peripheral portion of such roll on which the carrier boxes are supported in transit, having an oppositely beveled or curved peripheral face and locking mechanism by which the roll may be adjusted readily into any desired plane of rotation and rigidlyheld therein. Whilefor purpose of clarity of illustration we have elected to show the balancing rolls'associated with oppositely moving conveyors, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that the rolls may be employed with conveyors of any desired type or may be used in any desired relation without; departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the following claims.

We claim: I a 1'. A load supporting unit comprising a roll, a bracket in which'said rollis supported for free rotation. upon its axis, a inember upon which the bracket is supported and relative to which the bracket is adapted to swing and thereby determinethe plane of rotation of "the roll, and a U-shaped-element for locking the bracket in any desired position, said element including a base I interposed between the bracket and the member,

and uprights extending bracket. x

2. A load supporting unit comprising a roll, a bracket in which said roll is. supported for free rotationupon its axis, amemb er upon which the bracket is supported and relative to which the at opposite sides of the bracket. is adapted to swing and thereby deter- -mine the plane of rotation of the roll, a bolt fixed tothe bracketand member, anelement through which the bolt passes, and means for clamping said element upon said member, said element including uprights which extend at opposite sides of the bracket and lock it in any desired position. 1 a I 3. A' load supporting unit comprising a roll, a bracket in'which -saidroll is supported for free rotationupon its axis, amember. upon which the bracket is supported and relative to which the bracket is adapted to swing and thereby de- 'termine the plane of rotation of the roll, a bolt fixed'tothebracket and member, a U-shaped element comprising a base having a hole through whichthe boltfpasses, and uprights which extend at opposite sides of the bracket and prevent swinging thereof relative to the element, said base resting upon said member and having prongs projecting therefrom, and means for clampingthebajse upon the member and embedding the prongs therein, thereby locking the bracket against swinging relative to the member.

CHESTER s. JENNINGS. LAVONT C(ALLEN; 

